No crime is as synonymous with America as bank robbery. Though the number of bank robberies nationwide has declined, bank robbery continues to captivate the public and jeopardize the safety of banks and their employees.

Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, Willie Sutton, and Patty Hearst are among the most famous figures in the history of crime in the United States. Jesse James used his training as a Confederate guerrilla to make bank robbery a political act. John Dillinger capitalized on the public’s scorn of banks during the Great Depression and became America’s first Public Enemy Number One. When she held up a bank with the leftist Symbionese Liberation Army, Patty Hearst fueled the country’s social unrest. Jerry Clark and Ed Palattella delve into the backgrounds and motivations of the robbers, and explore how they are as complex as the nation whose banks they have plundered.

But as much as the story of bank robbery in America focuses on the thieves, it is also a story of those who investigate the heists. As bank robbers became more sophisticated, so did the police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other law enforcement agencies.

Features:

Ø Provides a social history of the United States, with bank robbery as the subject. It is much more than the encyclopedia of crime

Ø Discusses bank robbery’s cultural impact, including its portrayal in the movies

Ø Examines why bank robbery is declining

Jerry Clark retired as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2011 after twenty-seven years in law enforcement, including careers as a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. He is an assistant professor of criminal justice at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he is also director of risk analysis and mitigation at McManis & Monsalve Associates.

Ed Palattella joined the Erie Times-News, in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1990. He has won a number of awards, including for his investigative work and his coverage of crime.

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Welcome to my Civil War blog! Here I will discuss all things Civil War with the ocassional odd ball article thrown in for good measure. My main focus will be book and magazine reviews.
I earned a B.A. in American Studies from Stetson University. My hope is to be able to return to school and further my formal education in the field of history with a focus on the Civil War.

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While almost all books I review come from my own collection I am always willing to take a look at YOUR book whether you be a publisher or author. I will treat your work in a fair and professional manner. A link will be provided to the publisher web site and when possible a link is also included to Amazon for those who wish to learn more or make a purchase. Reviews are cross posted on Amazon.com. If you provide a complimentary copy a small notation of thanks will be provided at the end of the review. If you would like to contact me please email me at reddfamilyhistory at yahoo dot com OR robertredd at att dot net.